As a major bedding and bath linens supplier to the hospitality industry, WestPoint Home delivers products on the forward edge of current and developing trends.

Under its flagship Martex® brand, as well as Grand Patrician®, Vellux® and Five Star Hotel®, WestPoint Home is a key player in the industry's current sweeping wave of enhancing the sleep experience.

“It's really changing in products most in demand,” noted Bruce Cook, WestPoint's Vice President - Institutional Sales. “With our dedicated institutional organization, WestPoint Home anticipates and stays ahead of current and developing trends.

“Many hotels are upgrading everything about the bed, starting with the mattress. Certainly, 2005 has been ‘the year of the bed,’” he said. “This is true of luxury hotels, the mid-scale level, even some economy units. Our brands are what go on the bed — sheets, pillows, blankets and top-of-the-bed.”

In sheets, there's a major shift from the traditional 180 thread-count to T-200 cotton-polyester blend. Another trend is notching up pillowcase thread count, since that's what touches the sleeper's face. Some hotels are pairing 200 thread-count sheets with 250 thread-count pillowcases. There's also a move toward special flat-sheet and pillowcase hems in a different color than the sheets or with sewn-in piping in colors, tone on tone or satin — distinctive touches setting apart a hotel's individual approach.

Inside the pillowcases, many of the pillows are also supplied by WestPoint Home. The Martex® Brentwood pillow, for example, continues to attract consumers who experience its comfort in the hotel, then contact WestPoint Home to find out where to buy.

One oncoming trend in upscale hotels is “triple sheeting” — the traditional bottom and top sheet topped by a blanket, which is then covered by another sheet … luxurious layering. And the revolutionary Vellux® blanket, with its look and feel of frosted velvet, continues to be a mainstay on hotel beds around the world.

A growing move toward duvets, with a variety of duvet covers and often topped with a decorative throw at the foot, offers a notably richer appearance than old-style hotel bedspreads.

“Anticipate 2006 as a focus on towels,” said Mr. Cook. “There's an emerging trend of towels with surface treatment — sculptured surfaces, woven-in designs, different loop heights, ribbing, colored filling yarns in the borders … a towel that's a good performer and distinctive in appearance.

“As hospitality bed and bath products continue evolving toward greater luxury, WestPoint Home — with our proven brands and optimum combination of manufacturing and sourcing — is ideally positioned to provide these products.”

For more information, please contact Bruce Cook, WestPoint Home, cook.bruce@wphome.com, 212.930.3266